Investigating The Water-Energy Nexus (WEN) In Indian Industry

This paper attempts to provide the need, background and context for a comprehensive WEN strategic programme in Indian industry.

- Padu S. Padmanabhan

Summary

This paper is aimed at developing an informed understanding of the links between energy and water in Indian industry. It presents key performance data of energy and water use in important manufacturing subsectors including pulp & paper, textiles, food processing, beverages and iron & steel. The paper attempts to provide the need, background and context for a comprehensive WEN strategic programme in Indian industry whose intent and scope is to advance demand-driven, water-oriented, applied research that leads to the design, development and implementation of pilot demonstration projects in the nexus of water with energy in value-added manufacturing in India.

Introduction

Energy for water. Water for energy. These two sets of linkages between energy and water have been extensively investigated; however, some aspects of energy use in the water sector are often excluded due to differences in the definition of boundaries within the water sector. In particular, the end-use segment (wherein water is used for various purposes within industrial facilities, on farms, buildings and residences) is frequently overlooked since this process occurs outside the water industry and, often state and central jurisdictions. However, the end-use segment within the processes of the water flow chart (Figure 1) has been identified to have the highest energy intensity in many regions of the world. Many researchers have worked to identify and quantify the energy intensity of water end-uses (energy consumed per unit of water) and water intensity (water consumption per unit of physical production), and in this paper reviews this research with a focus on the Indian manufacturing sector.

Water-Energy nexus in manufacturing